Kenya parliament passes controversial election law amendment

The Kenyan parliament passed a controversial amendment to it’s election laws on Wednesday. The law sets out that if a candidate withdraws from a repeat presidential election in future, the other would win automatically.

The amendment was heavily criticised by the opposition, whose legislators boycotted the vote after its leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday, withdrew from a repeat presidential vote scheduled for October 26, citing concerns over fairness and transparency.

Odinga, who claims the amendment to the law is illegal, has called for his supporters to take to the streets and protest until electoral officials he accuses of being behind his loss are removed from office or resign.

Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga were due to face off in a repeat election later this month after the Supreme Court annulled an August ballot – in which the president Kenyatta was declared the winner – due to election irregularities and ordered the election to be conducted within 60 days.